We recently contracted with Yankee Woodcarver of Plymouth to complete a simple wooden grave marker…read morefor our cherished pet, Ruby. We deeply regret not having checked Yelp before we agreed to have Mr. McCarthy make the headstone for us. We have experienced most of the problems that previous posts listed. August 7 - Our first meeting with Mr. McCarthy where we discussed all the specifications and the price ($400). September 2 - Second meeting. We reviewed the specifications; gave Mr. McCarthy a copy of the drawing showing all the specifications (dimensions, spacing, size of the type, and layout). We gave him a check for $200 as an initial payment. September 17 - Mr. McCarthy called saying the marker was ready. September 18 - We went in to pick up the marker and noticed the letters and the jewel at the top of the marker didn't stand out. We spoke with Erica, his apprentice, and asked that the letters be darkened and the jewel be painted red. She was very helpful and personable. September 23 - Erica called to say the marker was ready. September 25 - Picked up the marker and gave Mr. McCarthy a check for the balance owed of $200. October 3 - Tried to mount the marker on the grave and noticed it didn't match the specifications we had given him. It was supposed to be the same dimensions as another marker we have for another pet. Mr. McCarthy's marker was 2" shorter and 1" thinner than the specifications called for. October 9 - We brought the marker back to Yankee Woodcarver to show Mr. McCarthy the discrepancies. He immediately stated "I am not going to give you back your money and I am not going to redo the marker". This was despite the fact that the spec sheet we had given him plainly showed the desired dimensions and had his own notations on it in addition to ours. After discussing the problems with the marker and not being able to mount it securely, he "suggested" we buy a paver brick, drill some holes in it, and attach the marker to it to raise it off the ground. We told him that if he thought that was the solution, then he should do it. He said to give him 2 weeks! On numerous occasions between October 9 and November 7 Mr. McCarthy repeatedly fluffed us off stating he didn't have the marker ready. We pinned him down to a pickup date of November 12 at 2 PM. On the 12th we left with the marker and a paving brick and no apologies from Mr. McCarthy for not providing the correct product for which $400 was paid. Do not assume that because someone has been in business for a long time that they are honest and reputable. If we had checked YELP! first, we would never have gone to Mr. McCarthy of Yankee Woodcarvers. It is despicable to treat customers like this, especially Seniors! We learned a painful lesson. A report to BBB is a must.

What an awful business operation! Do not even WASTE your time, because that will be exactly what…read moreyou'd be doing!!! OK so my boyfriends bday is July 6th I went here the first week of June. I wanted to have a sign made for him for his garage... saw this place randomly one day driving in Braintree and thought instead of ordering one online (which Iwas going to do) it would be a good idea to have it all done in person at a tangible place I can go to and talk to an actual person. Boy was I wrong!!! At first everything seemed fine. Mike the owner and only worker seemed to be a very nice soft spoken guy! Dont be fooled! I went in told him what I wanted done...he drew it up, wrote the price, pick up day and everything, photo copied it and gave it to me as a receipt. I told him since my bfs bday was a month away he did not have to rush I could come pick it up a few days before July 6th, he told me I would have it early because he was leaving to go get married June 25th or around there, and the price was $290.00. Mike seemed like a reasonable man and everything was perfect or so I thought. He said i could pay half down and the other half at pick up...I said Id be there the next day to pay in full (and in cash...big mistake there). Anyways I called him the next day went there and paid...he wrote that on the receipt copied it again and handed me the second copy. Still everything was ok. Now he looked fairly busy the 2x that I went there so I didnt want to be bothering him every other day about the sign I let it go a little while and called him somewhere around the 14th/15th he said everything was ok he just need to stain it and to give him a call the following Monday. I called him that Wednesday he said again everything was going fine and to call again in a couple days. I did say I know your going away to get married I just want to make sure I get it before you leave because he did say he wouldn't be back until around the 2nd week of July. anyways i waited and called him sat and sun the 23rd and 24th no answer so I left messages then I called Monday. He answered and was very apologetic saying he completely forgot he had a lot going on with the wedding. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt and told him it was fine I understand how it must have been very chaotic and I would just come pick it up Monday July 9th. Well from Monday the 9th all through the month of July and some of August every time I called he was "running out on business making deliveries to Brookline etc or the "sign was at his house," he kept saying he have it on Monday no matter when i would call. Now why would he bring it to his house and not leave it at his workshop? Well it was a lie so then one of the last times I called I said listen I just want my money back and he says I cant do that I have a sign here I wont be able to sell. And stupid me kept trying to work with him but then I just gave up and realized he never made a sign and he lied about everything. The time I called and asked if he could give me my money back he said he was running out and wouldn't be at his shop...well 45 mins later me and my bf go there and there he is working, he never went anywhere. It was obvious. Now my bf was dealing with him, Mike was telling us that the sign was at another one of his shop locations that he had 3 others (another lie) my bf demanded that he give us a refund or we would be taking him to court. So after 15 mins of arguing with Mike he finally agree to refund the money. I dont know why he couldnt just be easy going and give us the refund right then and there this was Monday July 30th he told us hes all out of checks and to bring the receipt and come back the following Monday...Well a week goes by and we show up...he only gives $145 and tells us to come back the following Monday again and if we have a problem with it then well have to take him to small claims court!!!!!!! And that if we want our money well "have to chase him a little bit and work for it" so we came back again (today) and he finally gave us the other $145. This was the absolute worst experience Ive ever had dealing with a business owner!!! Awful!!! He was 10000% unprofessional and rude!!! Oh and the first time we went there to get our m,oney we realized he lives right upstairs from where he works! So the man is a lying cheating businessman! He never even made the sign!